PwC urges AI fluency in universities as Grace Kennedy grows Q1 revenue and Sagicor profit slips

Jamaican business audiences heard a push for stronger artificial-intelligence readiness in higher education during the AI Symposium 2026, staged at the University of Technology, Jamaica, on Tuesday, 12 May 2026. Hugh Thompson, who directs the local PwC office, said tertiary institutions should widen the conversation from misconduct fears and cheating probes toward robust oversight, flexible coursework, and graduates who can work competently and ethically with AI systems in real jobs.

Speaking with journalists’ notebooks open, Thompson said: "AI fluency now needs to become a foundational skill just like numerousy, writing, and critical thinking," and added: "Students must not only know how to use AI tools, but also how to critically assess outputs, recognize bias, apply sound judgment, and understand when AI should and should not be used." PwC’s 2026 study on AI performance ties outsized outcomes to sustained people development, governance, and deliberate roll-outs rather than one-off pilots, and flags climbing employer appetite for versatility, judgement, and hands-on familiarity as firms weave generative models and large language tools into daily routines.

Separately, two leading Jamaica Stock Exchange names published contrasting March-quarter figures. Grace Kennedy Limited, reporting for the three months ended 31 March 2026, booked revenue of J$47.48 billion, up 7.454 percent, or J$3.27 billion, from the prior-year quarter. Pre-tax profit climbed 11.8 percent to J$3.53 billion, and net profit attributable to shareholders rose by J$135.16 million.

For the same three-month window, Sagicore Group Jamaica posted net profit attributable to stockholders of J$2.01 billion, well below the J$3.97 billion earned a year earlier. Chief executive Christopher Zaka remarked: "While the operating environment remains dynamic, we are encouraged by the continued strength of our core business and the resilience of the Jamaican economy. Our focus remains on disciplined risk management, operational efficiency, innovation, and creating sustainable long-term value. We believe the group remains well position to navigate uncertainty while continuing to support our clients and communities."

Market turnover on 14 May 2026 concentrated in a handful of lines. Darmon Trading Company Limited led volume with 19,310,065 shares, about 37.54 percent of overall sales; Regency Petroleum Company Limited followed with 6,631,395 units, roughly 12.89 percent; and Trans Jamaica Highway traded 4,518,204 shares, near 8.78 percent. Desk chatter tied the clustering to transport-and-distribution stories and sustained appetite for dividend-heavy or strategically positioned names.

Bank of Jamaica figures for the same date describe an active retail-and-wholesale currency session, with brisk interest in the major crosses. Dealers echoed ample liquidity in the U.S. dollar, where sell-side prints were J$157.26 and buy-side prints J$159.19. The Canadian dollar changed hands with a roughly J$1.30 spread between sale at J$115.13 and purchase near J$116.43. Sterling stayed uneven; one read of bank positioning pointed to about J$9.76 of room on the table for those clipping short-dated spreads, with selling cited at J$207.13 and buying at J$216.89 in talking points passed to clients. Finance teams were reminded that matching payment dates with currency swings still governs import bills, offshore loans, and hard-currency invoices.

An on-air money segment reframed holiday spending by swapping “How do I pay for travel now?” with “Which money routines today unlock trips later?”, arguing that habit shifts around borrowing, balances, and timing spill into flights, deposits, and rental guarantees. A closing entrepreneurship slot contrasted short-term survival thinking with owning scalable systems—tighter credit discipline, clearer records, and readiness before a big cheque arrives—on the thesis that preparation often decides who wins institutional funding.